Auger, Claudine

Background: Family carers of older adults with disability often both experience stress that may affect their ability to provide care, and find some caregiving activities differentially challenging. Objectives: The objectives of this research are to identify the caregiving activities that are most problematic to carers and to explore the reasons why carers found these activities challenging. Methods: Participants were past or current carers aged 19 years and older.

The negative effects of caring are well documented; however, positive effects have received less attention. A scoping review of 22 studies published between 2000 and 2018 was conducted regarding the positive effects of family caring for older adults. Our analysis revealed that positive effects are embedded in relationships, summarised in three themes: in relationship with one's self (the carer), for example, personal growth; in relationship with the care recipient, for example, a deepened dyadic relationship; and in relationship with others, for example, new care-related relationships.

Purpose: Providing care to older adults using assistive technology can be challenging for family caregivers. To inform the development of an Internet-based intervention, this study aimed to identify older assistive technology users and family caregivers’ needs related to assistive technology procurement, and to explore how to offer remote support through an Internet-based intervention.

Caregiver burnout is a serious concern among informal caregivers, especially for those who provide care to individuals with more severe limitations such as power mobility users. The Power Wheelchair Caregiver Assistive Technology Outcome Measure tool measures device specific and overall burden experienced by informal caregivers of power mobility users. A one-month, test-retest study was conducted to examine the reliability, internal consistency, and construct validity of the Power Wheelchair Caregiver Assistive Technology Outcome Measure.